2:50 AM,
Jul. 3, 2014

Things can't be too bad when you have Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk on your team.

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The sun has risen on the Red Wings since the dark day that began free agency, revealing that for all of the rejection, optimism should prevail.

It was eye-opening to see one targeted unrestricted free agent after another sign elsewhere, one for less money. But it's worth a reminder that this wasn't a haute shopping event. Of the right-handed-shooting defensemen the Wings made offers to - Matt Niskanen, Dan Boyle and Stephane Robidas - not one was going to plug the hole left when Brian Rafalski retired three years ago. Niskanen was the best of the bunch, but he has nowhere near the tape-to-tape ...